Archive for the ‘Record Club’ Category

The final track of Record Club #5 went up today, ending an entertaining run through Yanni Live At The Acropolis.

Beck and Thurston Moore played or sang on all the tracks, while the band Tortoise was actually only on two of them (“Keys To Imagination” and “Within Attraction”). The session musicians on the remaining 8 tracks were Abraham Laboriel (bass), Jeff Babko (keys), Russell Ferrante (piano), Toss Panos (drums). On one song, “Nostalgia,” Vinnie Colaiuta drummed instead of Panos.

Perhaps because of the source material, but this album was pretty different than most anything Beck has ever done. Actually it is probably in spite of the source material, because little of this actually sounded like Yanni! In fact, Beck’s sounded more like Yanni on some of his own tracks than this stuff did (like “Acropolis Now” or “Touch Dolphins”).

Anyway, Beck hinted that there were lots of music allusions in their music on this RC beyond Yanni, like references to Stravinsky, Shania Twain, Bobby Brown. If anyone ever recognizes any riffs in the scores, let us know! (The Bobby Brown was on “Santorini” and they did The Doors on a track too.) You could tell the musicians were having fun doing this stuff. I am not sure how often I’ll be inclined to listen to this RC in the future, but I think it was a fun and worthwhile attempt. It really gets to the core of what RC can and should be; it’s not just covering something Beck and the crew likes, it’s taking a piece of music and challenging themselves with it.

No word yet on RC #6. Hopefully we’ll hear soon and it will start up next week!

Also, no more word on that new album Beck told Pitchfork about. Hopefully some news will arrive soon.

The new Record Club project, starring Beck, Thurston Moore, and Tortoise decided to cover Yanni Live At The Acropolis.

ENJOY at beck.com all summer long

UPDATE: As you can see on the .com, Beck wrote “To flesh out the complex arrangements, several studio musicians were brought in to read a heavily doctored score with interpolations of everything from Stravinsky to Bobby Brown (and others).” (Earlier in the day, it said Shania Twain’s name there.) Does this mean that funky riff part in the second half of “Santorini” is an interpolation of something? Does anyone recognize it at all?

Beck, Liars, St. Vincent and Os Mutantes still have two more songs left in their Record Club cover of INXS. But current word is that an upcoming (and presumably next) Record Club was with the band Tortoise and Thurston Moore.

So hot on the heels of Beck’s collaboration with Charlotte Gainsbourg comes today’s news that he appears on the upcoming album, Compass by Jamie Lidell.

Lidell, of course, is on the current third Record Club, which should be wrapping up soon (there’s one track left on the album, unless they did some of the CD bonus tracks). I’m told there will be a fourth Record Club, but have no idea who is on it or what they covered. I have some theories based on who was in Los Angeles 6 months ago, but we’ll wait and see. :)

Lidell first entered Beck’s circle when he opened one of the Information tours. Lidell would often play with the band, as well as doing sets with them in spontaneous bar shows. Since then, the two have recorded together occasionally (we know about this and this but both are unreleased). Nothing had been released until Record Club 3. Also appearing on Compass is Brian LeBarton, James Gadson, Feist, and Nikka Costa (who is married to Wounded Cougar guitarist, Justin Stanley, so I’m hoping more WuCu is on there too).

UPDATE: A couple of hours after I wrote this, Beck.com notes a bit more about what his involvement was with this record: “Beck worked last year with singer Jamie Lidell on his new forthcoming album The Compass. He produced, recorded and co-wrote songs, as well as performed on several others. Sessions began early last year and continued in the summer. The album will be out in May but you can hear the first song “The Compass,” which was recorded by Beck at Oceanway Studios (where Sea Change and Mutations were done) and features him on acoustic guitar and percussion. “

I noted earlier who was involved with the current Record Club recordings. I took what Beck listed on beck.com to start that post… well I just noticed that beck.com’s comments changed. Initially, it had said that Matt from MGMT was there… but now it says “This time around the group includes Devendra Banhart, Ben, Andrew and Will from MGMT.”

There is both a Matt and a Will involved with MGMT, but it looks like it was Will Berman there and not Matt Asti, for those keeping track. (And it might just be me.)

… started today over on beck.com with the classic Songs Of Leonard Cohen, Leonard Cohen’s first album. It is full of amazing poetic songs and haunting folk melodies—that can easily be reinterpreted every which way. This sounds like it will be an experimental and creative Record Club.

Go and enjoy!

The band according to beck.com is Beck, Devendra Banhart, Ben Goldwasser & Andrew VanWyngarden & Matthew Asti (from the band MGMT), Andrew Stockdale from Wolfmother, Binki Shapiro from Little Joy, and two members of Beck’s band (and the last Record Club), Brian Lebarton and Bram Inscore.

Connections! Beck and Devendra are apparently friends, as Devendra opened a show for Beck, and they did a joint interview together in some guitar magazine once. Beck I believe said that one of Devendra’s songs is one of his son’s favorites, and at the show they did together, they sang a couple of songs together. Also reportedly, Beck has produced a song with Devendra for some upcoming release (details sketchy, but Beck mentioned it in an interview).

MGMT opened much of Beck’s Modern Guilt tours, and they shared the stage a few times (including this crazy show, which by the way, someone must have a recording of to share with us?).

Binki Shapiro is also a friend, an LA musician, she appeared in some of the Information videos and sang backup on a Sia song (which Beck also sang backup on).

Beck said “Andrew [Stockdale] from Wolfmother showed up at some point. That’s how it’s been working out. We’ll get together a group of people, and other people start showing up.”

Leonard Cohen was one of Beck’s stated influences on Sea Change. (Anyone got the quote?)

1. Record Club continues. After the VU & Nico album, it is unclear what is next. There are two Record Clubs recorded–one with MGMT and Devendra and the guy from Wolfmother (not clear what album, one report said Talking Heads) and Skip Spence’s Oar album with Wilco. (The VU & Nico tracks come out weekly, so far on Thursdays. Though “All Tomorrow’s Parties” got out a few days early.)

2. Modern Guilt Acoustic – over on beck.com/videotheque there is an acoustic run-through of the whole album. This was recorded with the live band after the last tour (Brian, Bram, Jessica & Joey). (Tracks are uploaded one a week, so far on weekends — Sat or Sun.)

3. Charlotte Gainsbourg album – supposedly out at the end of this year, Beck wrote and produced much of her record. Tracks may include “Paradisco.”

4. Scott Pilgrim soundtrack – Beck recorded a few songs for the soundtrack to this movie, as apparently the band Sex Bob-omb. Tracks may include “Indefatigable.”

5. Sonic Youth’s EVOL – similar to record club, but for SY. They needed something for some project they’re doing; Beck recorded all of EVOL with his band for it. No idea when it’s going to be released

6. some song with Devendra Banhart for some soundtrack. (Beck mentioned this vaguely in a recent Pitchfork interview).

7. also in the Pitchfork interview Beck mentioned that he has another album knocking around that was started before Modern Guilt.

8. the second K Records release… more info on this was promised a few months back, but nothing new about it yet.

These are the main things that I believe are upcoming and the most recent. There’s a few other things that I think are a bit older and maybe lost to time (his straight-to-vinyl records with Jamie Lidell, etc.), but who knows. Lots of things happening, it’s a fun time to be a Beck fan.

So I haven’t been posting every time there’s been a change, because I don’t view Paper Tiger as a daily sort of news update type of blog. However, if you’re not checking out beck.com every day or two, you’re probably missing out. :) Basically, a cool new webmaster and a lot of ideas and loads of music to share = GOOD TIMES.

I already wrote about the Record Club. So far, Beck is 4 tracks into his cover of the Velvet Underground & Nico album. Reportedly, Beck has recorded the follow up album for this, with the 3rd planned. Those albums are secrets though. (One news report said it might be a Talking Heads album, but I’m not sure about that.) New Record Club tracks come out on Thursdays.

Beck has also added Planned Obsolescence, which is going to be a collection of DJ Mix sets of music. Beck made the first track, called “Autobahn Hologram,” which is a 40-minute melange of music by various artists. It said there’d be a new one weekly, but it’s been almost two weeks since that one has come out, so I think there’s less a schedule.

Also this last week, Beck put up Irrelevant Topics, which is transcriptions of interviews he has with other famous people. Part one of his talk with Tom Waits is up now, and proves that Los Angeles is cooler than where you’re from.

Finally just today, Beck added Videotheque. This is a section of videos. He’s starting off by filling out all his Modern Guilt videos. But more than just the promo videos–there is also a live-in-the-studio acoustic performance of the entire album recorded in March. Ever wonder what “Replica” would sound like acoustic? We’ll find out in a few weeks! (Also apparently a new EP will be released with some of the acoustic MoGu tracks.) This section, I imagine, will be huge. They promise TV appearences, promo videos, live stuff.

Anyway it’s a good time to be a Beck fan, we’re getting new music and old music and rare stuff and fun stuff. Thanks Beck! Stay tuned for more sections to the site too, I’m sure.